Federal Member for Grey Rowan Ramsey has described claims by the Australian Education Union (AEU) that the Federal Government is slashing funding to state schools as an appalling and misleading political campaign.
“All schools in this state will receive significantly increased funding,” he said.
“There comes a time when the truth of the union claims needs to be examined.
“The new funding model has been hailed as finally addressing the unfairness of the old system and introducing a true, needs based funding model. This is what teachers and schools have been asking for.
“For some years the union movement has marched under the banner of “I give a Gonski”, but unfortunately for them, David Gonski has said the model introduced by the Gillard Government was not what he recommended.
“Instead it entrenched unfairness under 27 different funding agreements across Australia and here in SA we were shafted.
“By comparison Mr Gonski has endorsed the Coalition’s model. The Government is delivering the ‘True Gonski’.”
Mr Ramsey said the Turnbull Government has committed to a higher fixed percentage of funding delivered against the Schooling Resource Standard ensuring the neediest get the most.
“Every school in Grey is better off next year as a result of the new funding plan.,” he said.
“Schools will receive on average a 5.2% increase and the amounts will continue to increase year on year throughout the next ten years ensuring funding will rise by well above 5% per annum per student for the next ten years.
“Most importantly the commitment locks an increased fixed ratio of Federal funding for our state-owned and operated schools of 20% and this in turn is predicted to rise by a further 72% over the decade.
“To ensure this ratio is not eroded by unpredictable rising costs, for the first time the funding will be indexed against an education cost index rather than the CPI fully protecting its true value.
“Unlike Labor’s proposals which when announced were unfunded beyond the fourth year, this deal locks government funding in. I can understand why Bill Shorten is upset; Education Minister Simon Birmingham has managed to sort out Labor’s unfunded mess.
“Even under tight budgetary conditions the Turnbull Government has managed to put an extra $18.5bn into schools over the next ten years. This is an enormous amount of money and a huge boost.
“I am pleased Minister Birmingham has worked hard to bring about a good and fair outcome for our schools and provide record spending on our schools.”
If you would like to see how much better off your child’s school will be then visit the Schools Funding Estimator at www.education.gov.au.
Media Contact: Leonie Lloyd-Smith 08 8633 1744 May 19 2017
